Wire-grip.



J. T.'GARDNER. WIRE GRIP. 4 APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1907.

Wm M was Gamm PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908-:

WIRE-GRIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented March 10, 1908. 3

Application filed September 17, 1907. Serial No. 393,349.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. GARDNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo in the county of Dallas and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Wire-Grip, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to devices for gripping wire and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of its parts as hereinafter shown and described.

The object of the invention is to provide a wire grip especially adapted to be used in connection with a wire stretcher, wherein an adductor is employed for drawing the ends of clamping members together, between opposed surfaces of which, the wire is gripped. The grip may be employed with other devices or may be handled manually for stretching and positioning wire.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side view of the grip applied to a piece of Wire. Fig. 2 is a side view of the grip in open position and, Fig. 3 is an end view of the Ilp. b Thegripping device shown in the present instance is composed of a pair of gripping members 1 and 2 connected at one end by a link 3 which, in the present instance, is rigidly attached to the member land pivotally attached to the member 2 by means of a pivot pin 9, the members being provided with a guide 5 which is attached to one of them and has a sliding engagement with the other member to insure a relative pivotal movement in a given plane, and also serving as a closure adapted to engage the wire and thereby hold it in engagement with the gripping members. Adjacent to the pivotal connection of the members are provided a pair of cooperatively arranged clamping surfaces, those shown in the present instance being formed by a concavity 6 in one of the members and a correspondin ly shaped convexity or projection 7 forme in the cooperating member, the axes of curvature being arranged parallel to the center of movement of the members, so that the wire engaged between these surfaces will assume a curved state in the direction of its length.

That side of the gripping members oposite to the guide 5 is provided with a guard or admitting wire between the gri ping members .and preventing its accidenta disengagement before the gripping members are entirely closed. The guard shown in the resent instance embodies a lever 8 pivotally attached to the members 2, at 9, and having an undercut shoulder 10 ada ted to cooperate with the outer side 11 of t e member 1 at a point adjacent to the pivot, a handle 12 being provided at the outer end of the lever whereby it may be operated. The wire is held in position between the gripping surfaces by means of a plate 13 which projects laterally from the lever and overlaps the members at points adjacent to the gripping surfaces thereof, the guard being closed preparatory to the stretching operation, and opened into the position shown in Fig. 3 in order to permit the wire to be inserted and removed.

The free ends of the gripping members are provided with eyes 14 and 15, the eye 1.4 of the gripping member 1 being carried by an offset arm 16, so that it will be centered substantially. in line with the gri ping surfaces. The gripping members, in the present instance, are operated by means of a flexible connector or adductor 17, one end of the latter being fastened to the eye 15 and passing loosely through the eye 14 and the cooperating member, a tension on the connector serving to draw it through the eye 14 and thereby cause a proximating' movement of the gripping members.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent is 1. A grip comprising a pair of pivotally connected members having gripping surfaces, a guide secured to one of the members and slidably engaging the other member and a guard arranged opposite to said guide and movable into and out of cooperative relation with the gripping members.

2. A grip comprising a pair of pivotally connected members having gripping surfaces, a guide fixed to one of the members and cooperating with the other member to prevent disarrangement of the article gripped with relation to the members and a guard fitting on the opposite side of one of the my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature griipping members and having a )ortior in the presence of two witnesses. at a ted to over a t egrip )ing sur aces o H r Y the inemloers and grovided vgith an undercut JOHN GARDA 5 shoulder adapted to cooperate with the other Witnesses:

member. 0. H. SCOTT,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as G. L. DAVIS. 

